Introduction: Those with a keen eye watching coverage of the 2005 CITGO Bassmaster Classic earlier this year in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania might have noted the slightly unconventional rod a one Aaron Martens was using. The split grip spinning rod with the unusual silver sleeve detail between the rear grip and butt cap Martens was wielding was none other than a Megabass stick. This CITGO Bassmaster 2005 Angler of the Year is sponsored by Megabass and what better way for a sponsor company to celebrate the accomplishments of one if its most renowned anglers than to build a rod designed to his very own specifications? We managed to procure one of these sticks even before Aaron Martens himself got to see it and we bring it to you now. Presenting the brand new, 2005 F3-610DGS Aaron Martens Limited from Megabass.

Megabass F3-610DGS Specifications

Material

Hi8X Graphite

Length

6'-10"

Length from Front of Reel Seat to Tip

72"

Length from Back of Reel Seat to Base

8 1/2"

Line Wt.

4 - 12 lbs

Lure Wt.

1/16 - 1/2 oz

Pieces

One

Guides

Titanium Framed Guides ( 8 + tip)

Power Rating

Medium Light

Taper

Medium Fast

Rod Weight

4.2 oz

MSRP

~$405

Impressions: Needless to say, we were very excited when Megabass made available to us, this new weapon named after one of the most talented anglers on tour. But no information they could have shared would have prepared us for the complete and utter awe of the package when we pulled this masterpiece out from within its mauve colored velvet sheath. More on the artistry that is the F3-610DGS a bit later. Let us first look at how an over four hundred dollar production spinning rod performs.

The F3-610DGS is named after 2005 CITGO Angler of the Year and 3 time Bassmaster Classic runner up Aaron Martens

Real World Test:As one would expect from Megabass, the rod is well balanced with a very solid, sword-like feel to it. With a reel mounted in its seat, the combination balances best when held at the bottom of the foregrip. A position that's growing more and more prevalent amongst those who employ the
technique of drop shotting. Armed with what felt to be a perfectly tailored finesse fishing rod, we headed out for a series of on the water tests with our new stick.

Setup: We matched up our F3-610DGS with our Daiwa Certate 2000 and spooled the reel with 6lb Yozuri Hybrid. Our target applications were drop shot, split shot, and some light jighead fishing. What better place to test these techniques than some of the clear water reservoirs of Northern California, the proving ground of finesse techniques?

One of the most unusual features of this rod is the eccentric, upside down first guide - a feature which Megabass claims to aid in casting distance especially with superlines

Casting: One of the most unusual features of this rod is the eccentric first guide. It is mounted to the rod upside down putting the guide closer to the reel in order to aid in casting distance. While an interesting theory, this rod loads so easily during casts it's difficult to isolate the true benefit of this single feature in real world conditions. We can say that once released, our line flowed almost effortlessly though the guides as our offerings sailed out to their targets. Despite this sensation, our feeling is the casting performance of this rod can be attributed more to how well the medium fast taper blank loads and releases energy during casts more than to the eccentric guide setup. One thing for certain is the fact this package, taken together, delivers when it counts.